• Music - Qobuz

    The Hilliard Ensemble – Codex Speciálník

    January 6, 2023 - By 

    Your browser does not support iframes.    According to Wikipedia, “…the Speciálník Codex (CZ-HKm MS II.A.7) is a 15th-century speciálník (i.e. special songbook) originating from a monastery in the region of Prague.”  It is considered something of a ‘missing link’ between medieval and Renaissance music and it features several rather unknown Czech composers.  The Hilliard Ensemble sing pieces from this book so elegantly that I almost forgot about my classes this evening.  After a rather traumatic week, this was pure balm for my ears, mind and soul. Though you can find it at your favorite CD shop, you may want to consider ordering this through…

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    Richard Dawson – The Ruby Cord

    December 22, 2022 - By 

    Richard Dawson’s latest album is a fascinating listen.  It mixes vocals that could fit in well with English folk, psychedelic rock, prog and AOR music, while being musically underpinned by something that could almost pass for freak folk at times, while falling back now and again on progressive rock structures.  The album shapes and shifts on each track, and I was constantly surprised by what Dawson would come up with next.  I don’t do Top Tens, but if I did, this would easily make such a list.

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    Santiago Fradejas – Montages, Volume Two

    October 24, 2022 - By 

    What a joy it is when a friend releases a new album!  Argentine composer (now residing in England) Santiago Fradejas offers an experimental music album composed on an 8-string electric guitar and loops, making a soundscape album that is, at times, Fripperesque.  It’s dark, but not foreboding, and gently flows in and out of consciousness.  A headphone album for sure.

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    Brian Auger – Auger Incorporated

    September 22, 2022 - By 

    Brian Auger is the father of Acid Jazz and really needs no introduction, but his Bandcamp site provides a fine one anyway for those of you readers who haven’t had the pleasure of being introduced to the man: “Soul Bank Music announces a back catalogue deal with legendary musician and jazz keyboard master Brian Auger – with the release of a career spanning compilation ‘Auger Incorporated’. Lauded and loved by artists as diverse as Mose Allison to The Brand New Heavies, his tracks have been sampled by Mos Def, Common, Air and Kid Loco, his original compositions covered by Sarah…

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    Various Artists vs Chris Watson – Star Switch On

    September 14, 2022 - By 

    Once an Industrial music icon during his time performing in Cabaret Voltaire (pre-disco), Chris Watson now records natural sounds with such skill that he makes something that goes well beyond ‘ambient’ music.  As a tribute to his work, Touch Records commissioned several artists, including recently reposed ones like Philip Jeck and Mika Vainio, and supplemented by Fennesz, Biosphere and Watson himself.

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    African Head Charge – Songs Of Praise

    August 29, 2022 - By 

    While browsing through about 40 TB of music files I’m uploading into my iBroadcast.com account, I came across an absolute plum of an album.  African Head Charge were one of the greatest bands on the legendary On-U Sound Records roster, and this heavy reggae/dub masterpiece, released in 1990, is consider by most of their fans as being their masterpiece.